.... with added knitting and crochet

I love the free Nightly Met Opera Streams from their archives. Each opera streams for 23 hours and because of the time difference, I'm off to catch up with Wednesday's offering after I finish this blog post. It's Puccini's La Rondine starring Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna from January, 2009. Pic is from one of last week's operas - Gounod's Romeo et Juliette - which had fabulous costumes.

There's been some crochet going on. This is my variation of Katya Novikova's Summer Memories shawl pattern. The body is worked in Wollmeise 100% Merino Superwash, colourway Ooohm, with stripes in Amazonas and Campari Piccolo.

That's about all I have to report. Life goes on much the same day after day and I'm doing my best to stay cheerful and keep busy.

i don't really mind staying at home (I'm over 70, so being very cautious about Covid-19). Self-isolation feels rather like working freelance from home which I did for many years but this time it's without the work!

My studio table is tidy and today's plan is to get out the pdf sewing patterns that I've printed on paper and stick the pages together. I'm in need of new clothes and have lots of fabric washed and ready to cut out.

Apart from sewing clothes, I have plenty here to keep me occupied and happy. Music, books, audiobooks are all essential to my mood (thank goodness for Spotify, Kindle, Audible and library apps) and there's a sizeable yarn stash to keep my fingers busy.

Well, I'm almost there after three weeks of flu. My hacking cough has gone, I no longer have a head full of cotton wool and food tastes like food instead of cardboard!

In other news, I'm working my way through all the Harry Potter audiobooks again. I've nearly finished Book 4, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and thoroughly enjoying them. Stephen Fry is a genius narrator and makes the books perfect knitting listening.

Two other things - I'm seriously delighted that the wonderful Def Leppard have released their back catalogue on Spotify (other streaming services are available...) and the new Magnum album sounds pretty good after a couple of listens. I love my music!

Best music of 2017 was a difficult choice as so much good stuff came out during the year. In the end I went with these four: Hysteria/Def Leppard 30th Anniversary Remaster (and yes, I did get the box set in case you were wondering...); Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band/Beatles 50th Anniversary Remix (sounds fresh, sparky and pretty damn wonderful); Rip It Up/Thunder; The Further Live Adventures of.../Down 'n' Outz.

I'm sad we lost Tom Petty (amongst others) this year; he was a brilliant live performer.

Looking forward to Lost on the Road to Eternity/Magnum (January 19) and Year of the Tiger/Myles Kennedy (March 9) and who knows what other musical goodies in 2018.

Tags:
Beatles, Def Leppard, Down 'n' Outz, Hysteria, Lost on the Road to Eternity, Magnum, music, Myles Kennedy, Rip It Up, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Further Live Adventures of..., Thunder, Tom Petty, Year of the Tiger